


In your darkest hour, in the blackest night

by Rosetta



Category: Final Fantasy XIV, Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Coming of Age, Crossover, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-28
Updated: 2017-10-28
Packaged: 2019-01-25 11:14:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12530052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rosetta/pseuds/Rosetta
Summary: (Think of me...and I will be with you. Always. For where else could I go? Who else could I love but you?)Yuuri Katsuki, 24 summers old, is a dime-a-dozen adventurer, wandering from the far eastern reaches of Othard to the embrace of Eorzea in search of greatness, glory, and perhaps a way of life. But what fate has in mind for him may be well beyond the wildest imagination of even the greatest warriors of light...





	In your darkest hour, in the blackest night

It was not the legends, but the traders that spoke of a land in the West, blessed by life and beloved by the Gods.

These people - foreign faced and having funny accents - spoke of their motherland, a land bustling with vitality that pours in abundance even from dry war-torn crevices, from earth razed by raging infernos, filled to the brim with a vigor that is unlike anything that can be found in the East. A land that is so similar, yet so different from the rich expanse of Othard, from where travelers and traders bring antiques, fauna, greens and succulents foreign to the locals. Goods of questionable origins, of marvelously strange shapes, things exotic, intriguing - beautiful.

Just as much as these traders spoke highly of their home, so too did local adults spoke in dreamy voices of all the marvel they have yet seen in Eorzea. But like so many adults too, never had these people actually, well, _went,_ so the actual going was, naturally, going to be the task of the generation after.

Kugane may be the only port of Hingashi that openly welcomed travelers and traders of all origin, but their goods travel far beyond the city walls, even across the Ruby Sea. Through the Yanxian ranges, inside and outside the now-fallen sovereignty of Doma, and even across the vast Azim Steppes always they find curious eyes and mystified buyers, and in occasions, even awaken future great adventurers ... such as this one time when a humble pirate peddler came to visit one small, peaceful village just beyond the outskirts of Yanxia.

Said pirate, he came bringing in loots recovered from a wrecked merchant carrier of Garlean origin, possibly one that refused to pay the tithe required for a guaranteed safe travel. Among metal helmets that reeked of ceruleum, shards of cermet that was more functional as a paperweight than actual material due to its quality, and Garlean weaponry that have rusted from sea water, were some very non-Garlean items inscribed with what the pirate described as 'distinctively Eorzean' letterings. Many of these items were weapons and fancy (rusted) furniture that probably missed a future in a fancy Doman home, but some were clearly toys, which quickly became a best-seller among the village children who had never seen these strangely-shaped items. ("A wooden doll of a bird...? No, a horse-bird!!") Unsurprisingly, this pirate peddler visit left quite an impact among a few local children, including the certain son of the local inn's owners.

Yuuri Katsuki was merely eight when he told his mother he wanted to cross the great blue.

 

* * *

 

It was raining as Yuuri stood on the dock, watching the ships come and go.

A leather bag of considerable size was slung across his back, and a smaller bag that was almost a pouch was hung around his waist. Hanging on his back too was a small wooden bow and a matching leather quiver, visibly handmade with heartwarming imperfections that just yelled 'lovingly, but amateurishly made'. There was barely anything off from the sight of the boy clad in almost tell-tale adventurer-ish clothing - he was not the first, and certainly not the last Doman soul to take the voyage to the great West.

"Yuuri!"

He turned, only to almost fall as a blur struck him and pushed him in a savage hug-out. "Y-Yuuko!? Why are you here- _ow!_ "

Yuuri wobbled backwards, holding his forehead that had just received a painful flick from his childhood friend. "Silly Yuuri," she said, with a smile. "I wouldn't be a very good best friend if I don't see you off before your great journey, would I? Takeshi-kun is also here."

"Even Takeshi-kun...but, your children?"

"Minako-sensei offered to take care of them, in exchange for that flick I gave you," Yuuko grinned, and laughed when Yuuri sighed in exasperation. "She said, 'what kind of pupil doesn't allow his mentor to send him off to his greatest adventure?' and frankly, I agree with her. You could've told people, you know. Not...leave for Kugane at the middle of the night hoping that no one but your parents will notice."

Yuuri stared at her with an expression that could only be described as nervous, before he relaxed and shrugged with a tired smile. "You're right. I'm sorry, Yuuko."

"Still, I knew that you would one day leave us," Yuuko mused, as she watched a Thavnairian ship leave the dock. "Sixteen...and living. I still remember us training together, spending so much time learning how to fix our bows and stuff. You were always so happy even then - not to fight, but to have the capability to protect yourself when you're out there adventuring..." If there was a sniff in her voice, Yuuri must have missed it because of the strong wind blowing from the sea. "Look at you now, far from home, ready to take on whatever life throws at you as a mighty adventurer. I'm almost jealous that I'm not the one going, you know."

"Ah..."

"Not that I'm blaming anyone for it - I now have Takeshi-kun and three beautiful daughters in my life, so living as an adventurer wouldn't do at all for me, if you think about it." she winked, with a pleased smile on her face. "If there's one thing I want you to apologize for, it's for thinking that I wouldn't be able to catch up to you from Yanxia - I  _am_ the fastest rider in the village!"

"...sorry." Yuuri said, with a timid smile.

"Apology denied until you let us buy you a farewell gift!"

"Th-wait,  _what_!?"

There was a glint in Yuuko's eye as she stepped closer to Yuuri. "You know, I've been thinking, but those clothes you're wearing are pretty beat already, aren't they? It's your fault for setting off through the mountain ranges in the middle of the night, but as a friend I honestly don't have the heart to let you wear such  _tattered_ clothes to a foreign land on a foreign ship..."

"Y-Yuuko...?"

"As such, we're getting you a makeover and new clothes to go! Grab him, Takeshi-kun!"

"Wait, wai- _noooo!!_ "

**Author's Note:**

> COME JOIN US IN MASAMUNE (MANA DC)'S ~~ICE GAYS~~ HISTORY MAKERS LS we have cookies and pumpkins...lots of bloody pumpkins....
> 
> Anyway hi, if you remember me as that one loony who made that one FFXIV crossover ficlets series then thank you, if not hi, {Nice to meet you}! I'm Rae and I'm a midcore gamer who just can't seem to appropriately distribute equal time between my fandoms! Seeing so many people jumping into what I consider my main fandom (even though I can't take credit as the one who drag people in) makes me so happy and hopeful that people will enjoy the game as much as I do...if not more ;;;
> 
> Anyway, unlike Yuri on Duty Finder, Blackest Night is and will be a series that I hope will continue for a good while before it...either ends beautifully or in a premature disband /cries The story will likely take place in canon FFXIV timeline, though whether Yuuri will be _the_ Warrior of Light or not...well... {please look forward to it!}
> 
> (If you know exactly where this title came from please don't hurt me I'm already hurting)


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